Nevada County picayune., 1887-03-16

father chuckled.
 "rhem guinces was worth five dollars at the very least" said he. "I guess, Polly, if l were you, I'd collect the moncy.'
 The ladies of tue fund commit. tee were at Mrs. Bi.gard's house that afternoon. laIu .4rs.ta
 A good many faithful and devout sisters were present, and some of the brotherhood as we'll.
 Mr. Mildmay sauntered in to- ward tea time, and was thanking Zeruiail and Almira Biggard for the beautiful jars of preserved quinces which had found their way to the rectory, when Mrs. Big gard's shrill voice sounded above the hum of general disconse.
 Now, that the minister is here, there ain't no reason we slIouldn' f render in our accounts" she cackled. And Pm happy to say that every lady in the parish has given something to the Ebeo In dian Fund except Miss Mary Hay.r i9 aG aegtog
 MT. Mildmay bit his lip. Zern. iah cast down her white-lashed eyes. Almira giggled fajntly.
 "Ma is so frank spCken," said she.
 q scarcely think" observed MT. Mildmay, 'tlat there was any ne- cessity for particulizing in such a matter as this.'
 ''I hain't no patience with mean folks" said Mrs. Biggard, speak Ing in a stage-aside.
 But Mary Hay had risen calmly up from her seat among the young CT ladies. t-as..4..
 "Neither have l." said she. "So I propose to subscribe to the fund the five dollars which Mrs, Big gard is going to pay me.'
 She moved easily and gracefully toward the lady of the house, and held ont her hand with the air of calm expectancy. ..
 "Me?" cried Mrs. Biggard. "Go ing to pay you five dollars! I l guess tho gal is crazy! What shonld pay you five dollars forr'
 ''For the Tuinces,n said Mary, enjoying the sudden panic which turned the matronly, rubicund face to the color of badly risen dough-"the quinces which you bought of us last night and forgot to pay for" 9-
 Mrs, Biggard muttered some thing-nobody could exactly tell what it was. but the changes of her complexion would have re- minded one of the proverbial "dy- ing dolphin" as she drew ont her purse and deposited a crumpled fve-dollar bill in Mary Hays quiet ly extended palm.
 "I-I confess rve been neglect. ful," said she. "I 'spose 1 ought to hey attended to 1t before." C i
 ''I think you ought, indeed, " was Miss Hays calm reply. ll v
 'I didn't knows you cared noth' in for them quinces," muttered Mrs. Biggard. Cor l wouldn't hev touched lem. not on no account
 "You might at least have paid us the compliment of asking us," sad Mary, curtly.
 And she put the five dollar bill in the little blue-ribboned 'collec- ton basket,'' which was Miss Be. ruiah Biggard's especial care.
 Mir. Mildmay walked home with her that evening. She did not tell him the story of.the quinces, to her credit be it spoken. Mary Hay was not one 10 strike a fallen ene- my. And perhaps she and MT. Mildmay had pleasanter topics of conversation than any faults and failings of Mrs. Biggard.
 But honest Luke Larrabee was by no means so reticent. He re lated the little incident of the moonlight raid on the quince or chard high and low:
 And them Biggards is always aquotin' Scrip,ur texts," said he. "And the old lady sings hymns the londest of any one in church, and Zeluiah settin' her cap for the youngminister. jest like to see her face when she hears that MT. Mild may and Mary Hay is to be mar ried in the spring"
 But if you want to shut up the oll lalv's month nny time. all